Cost of a Hydrogen Fuel Cell as a Renewable Resource
Hydrogen fuel technology is one of the top competitors in alternative energy markets. Hydrogen fuel cells make it possible to use a reliable, alternative and renewable energy source; however, there are various costs associated with different aspects of hydrogen fuel technology that must be overcome.
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Vehicles
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The most commonly used type of hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles are Proton Exchange Membranes, or PEMs--the cost of which is about $36,000.
Stations
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Stations that can be used for vehicles to fill up on hydrogen are very sparse in number; therefore the associated cost of refilling a vehicle can range from $1 to $20 per kilo.
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Mass Scale
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If hydrogen is to be used on a mass scale on 40 percent of lightweight vehicles---the costs to set up an infrastructure are estimated to be around $500 billion.
R&D
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Current research and development trends are still in favor of alternative energies--especially from automobile makers that have spent well over a billion dollars in the past. Companies such as GM, Honda and Mercedes currently produce--or plan to produce--hybrid cars that are at least partially hydrogen-driven.
Problem
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The only issue with the cost of developing hydrogen fuel is that people are very reluctant to switch to hydrogen technologies when there is very little infrastructure in place, making the development of technology slower and more difficult.
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References
- Photo Credit Red cars image by Catabu from Fotolia.com
